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Native Plant Society of Texas

Lakes and Pines Chapter

Lakes and Pines Daphne Prairie Preserve Field Trip

March 28, 2026 – Members of the Lakes and Pines Chapter as well as members from other area organizations were honored with a tour of the incredible Daphne Prairie Preserve. Hosted by owner B.F. Hicks and assisted by Taylor Garrison, former wildlife biologist with TPWD and now with Plateau Land and Wildlife Management, we took a hayride tour of the 922-acre preserve dotted with a wide variety of plants that were common on the prairies hundreds and even thousands of years ago. Daphne Prairie, located in Franklin County, is a Great Plains tallgrass prairie and represents one tenth of one percent of the prairies that once covered over twelve million acres. Daphne exists today as it did centuries ago only because B.F. Hicks and his family have owned and preserved the land since 1840! Many thanks to Ann Reynolds and Linda Mahony for arranging this tour of a property that demonstrates a rare cooperation between a visionary property owner and the Native Prairies Association of Texas.

About the Region

Fall Symposium 2025 Logo - Teach for the Future

Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our fall Symposium host chapter, the Tonkawa Chapter, includes both of these ecoregions.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason